27 September 2007

Let me get this straight; I don't enjoy clothes shopping, never have enjoyed it, and probably won't enjoy it any time in the coming future. My idea of clothes shopping is buying clothes for necessity, just to avoid having to walk around naked. Anyhow, with Eid moving closer, more and more women seem to be hitting the shops every day, armed with their cash and credit cards, ready to invade the clothes shops and strip them dry (my wife being one of them). I have so far managed to steer clear away from shopping malls and the whole "shopping fever" since Ramadan started, avoiding any confrontation with wifey as she goes shopping with her friends, family, and so on.

Phew.

But last night was different. After a heavy iftar with the family, and after watching a few TV shows, I got ready to sneak out of the house to avoid yet another night of relentless, ruthless shopping.

"Honey?" She said.

"Dammit!" I thought, as I tried to slip my shoes on and make a run for it. "I need to go shopping today"

"Umm, ok.. Don't you do that with your friends, or sisters, or aunts? (or your cousins, or aunts cousins, or cat, or anyone else in the world except me, I wanted to add, but decided it would be safer to just stop there)", to which I got the answer that somehow everyone else in the world was busy and the only person seemingly free enough to go shopping with was (sigh) me.

So here we are in the parking lot of Bahrain Mall about to walk inside. She's already invaded and conquered Seef Mall, Aali Mall and a few others, so it was Bahrain Mall for today; as it was Gerga'on tonight, it seems that a lot of the festivities have shifted to the mall. There were a few colorful characters in costume, that I think were supposed to represent Disney cartoons:

Thats just distasteful, really. However, children were actually standing next to this guy and taking photos! What a freaky memory to keep. This is the kind of character that can haunt you in your dreams, but this wasn't the worst of it.

There was some sort of dwarf character (as in Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs) giving out balloons to the children, but this guy was even scarier than the Makki Mouse character:

Damn. Anyhow, I managed to delay the misery of shopping for approximately 2 minutes as I stood around taking photos of these freaky, freaky creatures, but I had to face reality and follow my wife from shop to shop as she looked at all sorts of clothes.

Thing I don't understand is how a woman can spend so much time in one shop. Seriously, it's not just my wife; the shopping mall was filled with women, and each one seemed to spend unreasonable amounts of time looking at every single piece of clothing in every single store. How can they keep up their interest for so long?

In my case, after walking into a clothes store, i'm able to keep up my excitement for approximately, ermmm.. 12 seconds.

Funny that. So we're walking around from store to store, the shopping bags are increasing in number, and my credit card starts feeling lighter.. During this whole shopping experience, I came to a number of observations; womens clothes are usually smaller than mens clothes. Seriously, take a look at any t-shirt in the ladies section and compare it to the t-shirts in the men section; they're usually half the size. That should technically mean they use almost half the material to make, and should therefore be cheaper. Why do they cost twice as much as ours? :S My belief is that it's a conspiracy, with clothes companies not even bothering to create a seperate clothes line for women; just using the same clothes the made for kids and labelling them "women" and then charging ridiculous prices for them.

Bluh. Another thing; it seems the newer models and mannequins are trying to promote a "sexier" image, so they just keep them semi (or fully) naked. Ooh err.

While straggling around one of the shops (which are always filled with women, it seems, I was the lonely male there), I spotted another of my kind. He walked in with his woman, and was obviously subject to the same kind of agony I was going through. We glanced eyes for a milli-second. It didn't last long, but there was some assurance there; it's as if we were both telling each other, "hang in there, you're going to make it". Freedom is but a few hours away (it was about half an hour before all the shops closed), and then we can be free to run away to whichever gahwa our heart pleases and hang out with the guys.

Well, a little later the torture was over. The back seat of the car was filled with shopping bags and my wallet seemed much lighter. But hey, it was over. Tommorow, i'm making sure to sneak out a little earlier, or at least find some way of becoming invisible before I get spotted leaving the house.

31 comments:

I got my man a gameboy for long journeys and shopping trips. When we have to go shopping for him, the only way he'll be interested is if I promise to buy him a video game that he can play as soon as we're done. Yup, I'm married to a 4 year old =)

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahaahahaahahahahahaahahaahahahyyyyyyy .. Amaro you realy make my laught today ! (hugs) you really make my day .. i havent laught for past few days but today you really make my day ... I just cant stolaughting about your post ! thank you !! .. By the way thank you for sharring this .. I wont take sara to Giant to be scared about mikka LOOOOOOOOOOOL

I will allow you to pay for Ghabga today if you want to escape. :)Then I'll teach you tricks! Think of it as paying for a course.

And SerooI bow before your wisdom. This is an excellent plan that my wife should use as well.

BTW, We are no more 4 Years old than you are. Why do you think everything packaged for women is either shiny or glitters? Just like fish to a bait. Its very easy.Go to Sephora for example and see for yourself.

Man I hate shopping! I would go with friends to get my opinion! But I hate it still! I don’t like spending money if I didn’t earn it myself! I also hate taking cloths off and put them on again trying those cloths! I just give a fast look if I see a colour I like then I’ll check it out! My view of a day shopping is going to 2 cloths stores, 1 or 2 shoe shops and maybe 1 or 2 accessories 9which usually I look for something for my daughter’s hair)! And between visiting those shops I have to have a snack (ice-ream or so) and at least 1 coffee!

What shopping I like is Motorbikes and Cars! I can spend 2, 3 or even 5 hours just looking at different cars and bikes! I don’t even mind visiting a motorbike’s and car’s accessories shop! :P

I don’t know if all that makes me less of a woman, but my husband complains that I don’t spend enough money shopping, and I don’t like jewelries! I’m glad he loves me enough to not leave me for one that does! :D

I can tell for sure not all women like shopping that much. guys, make it a condition when you're trying to find a wife! but then you might never find one, hehehe.My sister and I hate shopping. we only do it when necessary (when we have nothing good to wear that is).and I also lose my interest quickly. I simply pick up what I like from the first shop I enter and go for the next item. I'm a bad shopper for a woman I know, but what can I do!

YES, the dwarf is creepy! Last time I was in Bahrain Mall he was there and I swear he was staring at me through his mouth and moving towards me all menacing like. I took a picture of him too so I could use it to identify him in case he tries anything funny.

i hate shopping too.. i only go when i have to and it's mostly a drive by event! i walk in, do a quick scan and leave.

one thing i dont understand, why do they wait to do their eid shopping till last minute? didn't they know eid was approaching? shop early (especially since there was a sale not long ago) and relax during ramadan!

I guess it depends on who you shop with.I can browse for hours with my mom,but with nobody else.The rest of the time I hit and run.. I guess its because I know my mom loves browsing through stores. I mean she really truly loves it.And i dont see my mom that often so its a real treat.

Sooooooooooo funny! I was having tea while reading ur post and i almost spit it out on the screen of so much laughing!!! i like these differences between men and women (about shopping for example) and i love to see how men don't understand us sometimes (most of the time?!?). The same goes for us, i personnaly can't understand what u men find so attractive about cars... ;)anyways, thanks, it was a great post!

this is really funny. i have to agree about the mickey. he's really odd looking! the drawf... well, to me, he looks a little better, but has weird eyes!

i hate to shop. i can stand it for maybe 30 mins, but that's about it. i like going alone, but not w/ anyone because i'm not one of these girls that likes to linger at each place.... like so many you describe.

why go everyday? why not get what you need in one swoop? i'm not one for waiting for a few days to get what i want. i'm one for going in, getting it and getting outta there. i hate lines and i hate crowds. ;)

anyway... love the post.

have to agree w/ seroo and her man.... sounds like me and hubby. he pouts if he has to go for long w/out getting something for himself. then and only then is he a happy camper. :)

Why are you still married to a woman that you clearly don't have much in common with?I hate shopping with my female friends because they do exactly what you described. I personally like to take a panoramic look at the store and if I see something that I like I just take it.